The consent of trustees to the alteration, and in case of their not consenting, the notices to them, will be as before given under the 2d and 3d heads.

8. PROCEEDINGS IN THE FORMATION OR ALTERATION OF A JOINT DIS

TRICT, FROM TWO OR MORE TOWNS.

The proceedings in the formation of a joint district will be in all respects similar to those previously given in relation to ordinary cases, with the following additions:

As there is no clerk assigned by law to the joint meeting, the officers present should sign the proceedings.

The caption should give the names of the towns to which the Town Superintendents belong; and the resolutions should be recorded in each of those towns.

9. FORM OF CERTIFICATE TO TEACHER BY TOWN SUPERINTENDENT. I hereby certify that I have examined A. B. and do believe that he [or she] is well qualified, in respect to moral character, learning and ability, to instruct a common school in this town for one year from the date hereof.

Given under my hand at this day of

18

C. D., Town Superintendent of Com-
mon Schools for the town of

10. FORM OF INSTRUMENT ANNULLING A TEACHER'S CERTIFICATE. Having enquired into certain complaints against A. B., heretofore licensed as a teacher of common schools of said town, and being of opinion that he, the said A. B., does not possess the requisite qualifications as a teacher, in respect to moral character, [or "in respect to learning," or "in respect to ability in teaching," as the case may be,] and having given at least ten days previous notice in writing to said teacher, and to the trustees of the district in which he is employed, of the intention so to do, I have annulled and hereby do annul the said certificate and license so granted as aforesaid.

Given under my hand this

day ot

18

C. D., Town Superintendent of Common Schools.

As a note in writing, containing the name of the teacher, and the time when his certificate was annulled, must be filed in the town clerk's office, to give it effect, the most convenient and effectual mode of complying with the law, will be to make out, sign and file a duplicate of the instrument itself.

11. FORM OF THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TOWN SUPERINTENDent OF COMMON SCHOOLS, TO BE MADE TO THE COUNTY CLERK.

I, A. B. Town Superintendent of common Schools of the town of in the county of in conformity with the statutes in relation to common schools, do report that the number of en

tire school districts in said town, organized according to law, is [eight,] and that the number of parts of school districts in said town is five]; that the number of joint districts, the school-houses of which are situated wholly or partially in said town, is [three]; that he number of entire districts from which the necessary reports have been made for the present year, within the time limited by law, is [eight,] and the number of parts of districts from which such reports have been made is [five.] That the number of schools for colored children taught by said town during the year aforesaid, for six months or upwards, by a duly qualified teacher, was [two.]

And I do further certify and report, that the whole amount of money received by me, or my predecessors in office, for the use of common schools, during the year ending on the date of this report, and since the date of the last report of said town, is $ of which sum the part received from the county treasurer is $ the part from is $ and that we have collected the sum of for penalties (if any has been collected) [and if there be any other source from which any part has been received, here state it particularly.] That the said sum of money has been appropriated to the several districts from which the necessary reports were received, for the purposes and in the proportion following, viz the sum of $ for the payment of teachers' wages, and the sum of $ for the purchase of district libraries. That of the monies so apportioned, there has been paid over to or on the order of the trustees of the several districts entitled thereto, the cents for teachers' wages, and dol

dollars and

sum of dollars and lars and cents of the library money; and that the balance of said monies so apportioned and not paid over, is now in my hands amounting in the aggregate to cents, and ready to be paid according to law. That the sum of $ was appor tion by me to district No. for colored children in said district between the ages of four and 21 years, who have attended a school in district No. in said town, by a duly qualified teacher, for six months during the preceding year; and $ to district No. for colored children attending in said district; and that I have deducted the said several amounts from the sums by me apportioned to the said districts No. and respectively. And I further certify that during the year before mentioned, I have not collected any fines, penalties or forfeitures: [or, And I further certify that during the year before mentioned, I have collected a penalty of $25, imposed on A. B. a trustee of district No.

in said town, for signing a false report; and that my costs and charges in such collection amounted to $ ; and the balance of such penalty was by me added to the school money received by me and apportioned as above mentioned.] That the school books most in use in the common schools of said town are the following, viz: [here specify the principal books reported by the several trustees.] And I further certify the tables following,

to be true abstracts from the reports of the trustees of the several districts and parts of districts as aforesaid:

[Continuation of Table on next page.]

Dated at Trenton, this first day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and

A. B., Town Superintendent of Common Schools.

CHAPTER III.

POWERS AND DUTIES OF INHABITANTS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS By § 65 (No. 87) of the school act, it is provided that "an annua meeting shall be held at the time and place previously appointed and at the first district meeting, and at each annual meeting, the time and place of holding the next annual meeting shall be fixed.' Annual meetings need not be precisely one year apart. The time may be a few days or weeks more or less than a year, if the inhabitants think it necessary. For instance, an annual meeting held on the first Tuesday of October may be adjourned to the second Tuesday of October of the next year. The propriety of the act in every case must depend upon the circumstances attending it. No general rule as to the extent of the variation from a year can be laid down as applicable to all cases.-Com. School Dec. 289.

It is proper, however, to observe, that as by the act of 1843 one trustee only is hereafter to be annually elected, who holds his office for three years, and as in case of a vacancy, such vacancy is to be supplied only for the unexpired term left vacant, the variations in the time of holding the annual meeting ought not to exceed three or four weeks. The time from one annual meeting to another must always be considered and treated as one year.

By § 66 of the act of (No. 88,) "Whenever the time for holding annual meetings in a district, for the election of district officers shall pass without such election being held, a special meeting shall be notified by the clerk of such district to choose such officers; and if no such notice be given by him or the trustees last elected or appointed, within twenty days after such time shall have passed, any inhabitant of such district qualified to vote at district meetings, may notify such meeting in the manner provided by law in case of the formation of a new district; and the officers chosen at any such special meeting, shall hold their office until the time for holding the next annual meeting."

By § 67 of Laws of 1847, (No. 89,) "When the clerk, and all the trustees of a school district, shall have removed, or otherwise vacated their office, and where the records of a district shall have been destroyed or lost, or where trustees neglect or refuse to call meetings to choose trustees, the Superintendent of Common Schools shall have authority to order such meetings."

By § 68 (No. 90,) "When in consequence of the loss of the records of a school district, or the omission to designate the day for its annual meeting, there shall be none fixed, or it cannot be ascertained, the trustees of such district may appoint a day for holding the annual meeting of such district."

If an annual meeting is held at the time and place appointed at or adjourned from the annual meeting of the preceding year, the proceedings will be deemed valid, notwithstanding the omission of the clerk to give the notices prescribed by law.